When I grew up, poor people were thin. Books, films and news coverage of famines perpetuated the stereotype. But today, poor people are increasingly likely to be overweight. Now it’s often the rich who are the thin ones. It’s especially the case in cities, where most of humanity lives. There, wealthy folks might be packed into yoga hallsRead More …

Twelve-year-old Branza has lived in an orphanage in Antananarivo, Madagascar’s capital, since 2010, because his parents cannot afford to feed him. Madagascar is known for its sunny beaches and scuba diving. What many don’t know is that nine out of ten Malagasy people live below the poverty threshold, according to a 2013 World Bank report. Madagascar is among theRead More …

On 28 August, Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and Haiti’s Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Rural Development (MARDNR) convened a conference in Port au Prince, Haiti, to present and discuss the results of a recent CIAT study with key decision makers and donors in the country. Anton Eitzinger presented the main conclusions of the study, which was carried outRead More …

Discriminating coffee enthusiasts expect a lot from their espressos, cappuccinos, and lattes. These consumers want a “mind-blowing” coffee, which not only has an extraordinary taste but also comes with an upbeat backstory about its origins. Collaborative CIAT research in Guatemala, Mexico, and Nicaragua has helped reveal what the backstory of smallholder coffee production really is, how it has changedRead More …

Like the mysterious magic skin in the 19th century novel by French author Balzac, the area suitable for growing Arabica coffee in Mesoamerica is shrinking away as temperatures rise and rainfall patterns change, leaving smallholder coffee producers vulnerable and in need to adapt swiftly. Every year, we drink some 400 billion cups of coffee (1) around the world, makingRead More …

Having had the chance to witness the spread of better beans in East Africa it was great to hear that the, well, bean counters had been sent in to do a formal impact assessment. The results will form part a series of studies known as the Diffusion and Impact of Improved Varieties in Africa (DIIVA). But at first glance,Read More …

Scientists are struggling to contain a flesh-eating virus sweeping across the cassava plantations of Africa, destined for the world’s biggest producer and consumer, Nigeria. The devastating epidemic of Cassava Brown Streak Disease (CBSD) has already made it halfway across the continent, with reports of new outbreaks in DR Congo – the world’s third largest producer – and Angola, whereRead More …